WhoSampled

WhoSampled is a music-discovery app that follows the samples, covers and remixes connecting songs. It suits listeners who want context for music they hear or save, rather than identification alone. Its free plan supports that exploration, while full-length playback may depend on another service or subscription.

Overview

WhoSampled treats recognition as a starting point for tracing musical connections. Identify music playing nearby or scan a Spotify or Apple Music library, then explore related source tracks, covers and remixes. The app describes a catalog of over 1,280,000 tracks and 398,000 artists, with daily additions, and says verified content is built by a community of over 38,000 contributors. This breadth gives curious listeners plenty of paths to follow, though its focus is connection-driven discovery rather than broad music search.

WhoSampled says its audience spans Hip-Hop, Electronic/Dance, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Funk, Soul, Reggae and Classical. That range makes it relevant beyond sample-heavy genres, but its strongest appeal is to listeners who enjoy investigating how music relates across artists and eras.

Key features

Identification and library scanning

Track ID can identify music around you and show its samples, covers and remixes. Scanning Spotify and Apple Music libraries applies the same approach to saved tracks, while Spotify users can switch to WhoSampled’s Now Playing feature to see a track’s connections. These tools make it useful for building a trail of music to explore; listeners who only need a quick song name may not need the additional catalog.

Sample context and playback

Sample entries can include timing, sample type and the part sampled, providing concrete clues about how a source relates to a later track. On the site, the Jump button moves between listed sample timings to compare source and sampled tracks. Side-by-side comparison and full-length listening through YouTube are supported where available; tracks can also play through Spotify with Premium or Apple Music with a subscription. The discovery detail is valuable, but listening is not independent of those services and their availability or subscription requirements.

Browsing and privacy

Trending, top-rated and all-time influential artist and track charts offer a route into the catalog, alongside favorites and contextual recommendations for samples, covers and remixes. The privacy policy says personal data may include identity, contact, financial, technical, profile, usage and marketing data. WhoSampled.com Limited is named as data controller; the policy describes security measures, limits access to people with a business need, requires confidentiality, and provides the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office.

Pricing

WhoSampled uses a freemium model. The Free plan costs nothing and includes text search, Track ID, Spotify and Apple Music library scanning, and an ad-free experience. That is a substantial free feature set for listeners exploring musical relationships, and there are no stated seat or usage quotas to weigh. The trade-off is that full-length playback can require YouTube availability, Spotify Premium or an Apple Music subscription; those listening conditions are separate from the free discovery plan.

Platforms

WhoSampled supports Android, iOS and web, with cross-platform support. That combination suits people who want to identify music on a phone and continue browsing connections on the web.

Who it's for

Choose WhoSampled if you routinely wonder where a song's sample came from, how a cover differs from its source, or what remixes are connected to tracks in your library. Its scan tools, sample timings and charts reward exploratory listening. It is a weaker fit if your priority is only recognizing a song and playing it immediately, especially when you do not use the streaming services tied to full-length playback.

Pros and cons

• Detailed musical context: Sample timing, type and sampled section make connections more informative than a simple track match.
• Discovery from saved music: Spotify and Apple Music scanning can surface relationships in an existing library.
• Useful free access: Search, Track ID and both library scans are included without ads on the Free plan.
• Playback depends on other services: Full-length listening can hinge on YouTube availability or a paid Spotify or Apple Music subscription.
• Focused rather than general-purpose: The catalog is built around samples, covers and remixes, so it is less compelling for listeners who want recognition without further exploration.

Alternatives

Music Identification Apps is the broader category guide for comparing recognition options. Choose AHA Music if you want recognition across Android, iOS, web, desktop systems and a browser extension; its Guest plan is free with five recognitions per day total, BPM and key detection, ads, no recognition history and no playlists. SongRec is a better fit for Linux-focused desktop recognition: it is a free, open-source Shazam client and also supports macOS and Windows.

Annie suits Android or iOS users who want free music identification and universal links without a subscription. Choose SoundHound for a free, ad-supported Android or iOS option, or pay $6.99, paid once for its ad-free SoundHound∞ plan with no monthly fees. Kooha is a free Linux desktop app, while Snag is free on iPhone. Audile is an Android option for Android 8.0 or later; AudD and ACRCloud may require their own API account or token. ACRCloud is aimed at broader API access across platforms, with a 14-day free trial, full API access and no credit card required.

Verdict

WhoSampled is the right choice for curious listeners who want to follow samples, covers and remixes from nearby music or their saved libraries. Its free search, identification and scanning tools make that musical context unusually accessible. Look elsewhere if you mainly want a straightforward recognition tool or expect full-length listening without relying on another service.